OHBA Job Ready Program

David Gladwin of Gladwin Building Services Inc. was thrilled with the level of training provided to his OHBA Job Ready Program Employee.

Before your employee begins work, we ensure that they receive beyond a basic level of training for entry-level construction work.

Learn more about how we provide the most thorough pre-job site entry-level training in the construction industry in our blog series: https://www.ohbajobready.ca/post/the-ohba-job-ready-program-is-training-the-next-generation-of-construction-workers

Great feedback on the OHBA Job Ready program from OHBA Past President Rick Martins of Huron Creek Developments! 🎉

Did you know 83 employers across Ontario have already been through the program over the last 3 years? The program is here to save you time and money on your next entry-level construction hire.

Check out more employer feedback and learn more about the program: https://www.ohbajobready.ca

Did you know that the Job Ready Program is an project, funded in part by the Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario?

Ontario homebuilders are a special group of people, committed to quality, craftsmanship and community. We are grateful for the opportunity to run this important program to help ensure that Ontario has the skilled workers we need to build our homes, now, and in the future.

https://www.ohbajobready.ca/

Along with diverse job roles, our participating Job Ready program employers were spread out across Ontario:

📍Toronto
📍Hamilton
📍Ottawa
📍Kingston
📍Kitchener
📍Cambridge
📍Sudbury

Wherever you are in Ontario, we can help you connect with a job ready employee, streamlining your recruitment efforts, and helping you build your team for the future.

Be sure to add your name to our newsletter list, and you'll be the first to know important news, dates and updates from the program: https://ohbajobready.us21.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=31d6fca38dec1022eff6529d0&id=ef0e663a44

How great to hear that working in home construction has been made appealing to someone part way through their career, all thanks to a recruitment ad we ran last summer. At the Job Ready program, we aim to attract willing and able individuals from outside the typical demographic as well. Eva's story is a good one!

Sometimes life can bring you full circle. When Eva Thiessen started working at a furniture manufacturing company years ago, she was on the factory floor building the products. Eventually, she worked her way up to plant manager.

But then she had an epiphany. “I realized I wanted to do more hands-on work,” she says. So when she saw an ad on Facebook about the Job Ready program – which provides participants with free workplace safety training and then connects them with employers looking to fill full-time, entry level positions in construction – she decided to apply.

“It was very easy to apply, and I liked that all the training was done online,” says Thiessen. Once she completed the training, she landed a six-month contract as a general labourer with Fusion Homes in Guelph, Ont.

“It’s been great so far,” says Thiessen. “I get to do a bit of everything, and I’m learning lots of new tricks from the carpenters and electricians. I see a lot of potential here and can see myself staying on."

https://bit.ly/42mKnH6

This year's OHBA Job Ready program facilitated placements in a diverse range of positions within the construction industry, strategically addressing support needs across different facets of homebuilding, encompassing roles both on-site and off-site.

Construction Labourer
Water Heater Installer
Mason Helper
Plumbing Apprentice
Glazier
AeroBarrier Technician
Plumbing Labourer
Electrical Apprentice
Carpenter Helper
Renovation Assistant
Office Manager
Handyman
Installer
Landscaper
Jr. Homecare Specialist
Jr. Construction Manager

Which role needs to be your next hire?

Question: How many participants have gone through the Job Ready program in the last 3 years?
Answer: 293!

This year, 116 participants have had a work placement with the program and 110 are currently employed, in a wide assortment of roles. More on that in our next post!

As we wrap up our third year of the OHBA Job Ready program, we're going to highlight some key stats for you!

A crucial facet of the program's success lies in its collaboration with participating employers, each playing a pivotal role in nurturing talent and fostering growth within the new home construction industry. This year, we placed Job Ready employees with 83 employers. These partnerships help drive change, turning aspirations into practical career opportunities.

This program wouldn't work without the support of these organizations, and we send them a huge !

Were grateful to leaders like Louis Zagordo for supporting this program and our participants this year. Together with employers like SLV Homes, we can take steps to filling the labour gap and inspiring a new generation of skilled trades workers.

""The program is well-conceived and well-orchestrated as I just put 2 of my newest employees through the program. I highly recommend other companies in this industry take advantage of this amazing opportunity as it is a win, win for everyone it touches."" - Louie Zagordo, President, SLV Homes

Visit our website for more info on how hiring through the Job Ready Program will be a for your team. https://www.ohbajobready.ca/employers

At the OHBA Job Ready program, we shifted away from the typical interview question 'Do you have experience?' to 'Are you suited to this type of role?'

Possibly not in those exact words, but our goal has been to recruit eager workers with the right kind of attitude to become your next stand-out employee. And because we do all the recruiting, interviewing, training and employer-matching, we save you time and energy, while delivering you a job ready employee who is eager to learn.

Our past employers have had some great experiences with the program, like David Calder from Blue Valley Homes.

"Although almost all of our Job Ready employees had very limited experience in construction, they were open-minded and very safety conscious. These employees are really cognizant of the need to be detailed and take pride in their work.”

We know you can train a good employee to be even better, but the Job Ready program is here to give you a headstart! Read more about the program on our website: https://www.ohbajobready.ca/employers

Did you read our latest article in the March issue of Ontario Home Builder magazine? It is titled 'Overcoming Barriers to Entry: Attracting the Next Generation to Skilled Trades.'

In the effort to tackle the shortage of skilled workers in construction, programs like the Ontario Home Builders' Association (OHBA) Job Ready Program are essential, connecting workers with job opportunities. The urgency is clear, as Jared Zaifman, CEO of the London Home Builders' Association, points out the limited time available for experienced workers to pass on their knowledge before retirement. However, more than simply recruiting new workers is required, and we outline a few key steps in the article.

Read the complete article on page 14: https://bit.ly/4chFVyE

Early Spring 2024 Public sector staffing issues are interfering with our ability to communicate and build faster, the latest in windows, the path to building carbon neutral

Despite construction ranking among the top four industries with the fastest-growing wages in the country, young people are still reluctant to consider roles in the trades.

Why are attractive, well-paying roles with career advancement not being considered by many people in Canada striving for a steady career path? The reasons are varied:

💲 Perceived high barrier to entry due to the cost of training and equipment
🛠 Uncertainty surrounding the job site environment
⤴️ Lack of awareness of career advancement opportunities

The time is now to attract new generations of construction professionals. The OHBA Job Ready Program can help: https://www.ohbajobready.ca/employers

Our ideal goal when we place a participant with an employer is that their placement is just the beginning. And we are always thrilled to know when the relationship turns permanent! We've had many success stories, and the latest was with NICO Renovations by Design Inc.

Owner & Operator Nick Coccimiglio told us, "We have one team member that is happy to still be working for us. It is good to see how he developed and continues to thrive in learning more from our experts. It has helped us build our team with the opportunity of growth for the employee. I highly recommend this program and we are continuing to support it this year as well."

🥊 From the boxing ring to the construction industry, Olympian Mandy Bujold's journey embodies resilience and determination.

As the new spokesperson/recruiter for the Grand Valley Construction Association, Mandy champions women's roles in skilled trades, echoing her fearless spirit in and out of the ring.

As our industry, and the OHBA Job Ready program, works to attract more women to the trades, it is encouraging to see someone with Mandy's experience and charisma working to achieve the same goal.

Read her inspiring story in the Waterloo Record: https://www.therecord.com/news/waterloo-region/mandy-bujolds-bold-second-act/article_6561c75e-860a-5b98-b6bd-9c192307f01d.html

We’re here to answer your OHBA Job Ready Program

❓Where do participants complete their training?

❇️ Program participants complete some of their training virtually (via modules). The Working from Heights and hands-on training will be completed in person.

❓Where does the program take place?

❇️ Paid work placements have taken place with employers located throughout Ontario, including Simcoe, Niagara, St. Thomas, Ottawa, Hamilton, Durham, Quinte, and Kitchener/Waterloo.

Why is the 1-to-1 support that we offer to our program participants an integral part of the Job Ready Program?

- It provides a safe space to ask career and workplace questions and support to form an action plan
- It helps participants build and plan for a career path in the construction industry
- It increases employee engagement by holding participants accountable through attending weekly meetings
- It provides professional development at no cost to employer or participant

Learn more: https://www.ohbajobready.ca/post/four-reasons-why-1-1-support-is-an-integral-part-of-the-job-ready-program

“All levels of government need housing policy that is focused and coordinated on improving affordability and supply through smart policy changes. In terms of the high interest environment, our top recommendations that would provide immediate results are no-cost-to-government policy options to help get well-qualified first-time buyers into the market: introduce 30-year amortizations for insured mortgages on new construction homes, and lower the mortgage stress-test qualifying rate in general and still more so for longer 7- and 10-year term mortgages.” - CHBA National CEO Kevin Lee.

This quote comes out of the CHBA's latest Housing Market Index (HMI). CHBA’s quarterly survey results inform all housing stakeholders with insights of Canada’s new home construction market.

To see the full results, visit chba.ca/hmi

"Through the OHBA Job Ready Program, I was trained in diverse trade skills, tools handling skills, safety skills and job search/review assistance. These skills made me employable and my resume more attractive to employers. The number of job interviews I get called to attend tremendously increased." - Goodhope Durueke, OHBA Job Ready Program graduate

This isn't breaking news, but according to labour market data from BuildForce Canada, the construction industry will need to hire, train, and retain more than 116,200 additional workers over the next decade to keep pace with expected demand growth and to replace more than 92,000 workers that are expected to retire.

OHBA Job Ready Program aims to help meet this demand by preparing job ready candidates for a variety of full-time, entry level positions in the home building industry, and matching them with employers, like you, in need of workers.

Even in slower build periods, we need to be recruiting and training new workers to ensure that the knowledge transfer and skills training can be done effectively while we have master craftsmen and experienced trades to teach the next generation.

ICYMI, read the full June 2023 article from CBC about the state of housing industry across the country https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/canada-construction-labour-challenges-housing-1.6906587

Did you know: hiring through the OHBA Job Ready Program can help with job retention for entry-level workers.

Our program participants meet weekly with program career advisors during their work placement, where they receive career planning, professional development, and a place to ask questions about what a career in construction could look like for them. Our graduates also receive ongoing support from the program for as long as they need it.

Learn more about how our program can help you with entry-level worker retention https://www.ohbajobready.ca/post/retain-more-entry-level-workers-with-the-ohba-job-ready-program

"The program was not only easy for my candidates to complete as there are only three simple steps, but with the Job Ready team’s guidance, it made my responsibilities very painless and allowed me to focus on my day-to-day routines.

The program is well-conceived and well-orchestrated, and I just put 2 of my newest employees through the program.

I highly recommend other companies in this industry take advantage of this amazing opportunity, as it is a win-win for everyone it touches." - Louie Zagordo, Owner, SLV Homes

The OHBA Job Ready Program is part of our commitment to our members.

By preparing the next generation of homebuilders and matching them with employers in need, we are working to future-proof the residential construction industry - now.

The future of your business matter to us, and this program is just one of the ways we support your growth.

Learn more about our OHBA mission: www.ohba.ca/mission/

Gain a by building a strong team now!

In the midst of slow homebuilding sales, seize the opportunity to proactively build a highly skilled workforce. Lay the groundwork now for a distinct competitive advantage when the market inevitably rebounds.

Even right now, future home buyers are searching for their potential dream home, showcase that you are preparing to serve them better by hiring and training now, and talking about it.

Meet your new team through the OHBA Job Ready Program: https://www.ohbajobready.ca/employers

Did you read the article on our program in the fall issue of Ontario Home Builder?

The article covers the importance of retention, (even in slower periods) as you want to know you'll have the right team in place when demand grows! Retention starts with an employee's first days with you.

This is why the Job Ready Program strategically supports your new hires, during those crucial early days to help ensure their job satisfaction and commitment to your team.

https://issuu.com/ohbmagazine/docs/ontario_home_builder_fall_2023?fr=sOGYzZDYzMjg4MTI

Is now the right time to talk ? We believe so!

Our latest blog post covers that despite the high wage and earning potential, young people are hesitant about trades. Our recruitment process targets their resistance to attract them to a fruitful career in .

Partner with us to hire and onboard entry-level talent faster, retain them more easily, and foster a welcoming learning environment. Let's bridge the skills gap and build a brighter future together! 🌟

OHBA Job Ready Program is recruiting your future team, today
https://www.ohbajobready.ca/blog

Why hire and train now? 🚀 Efficiency during demand surges!

Navigating slow periods wisely involves pre-training your staff to reduce lead time during sudden demand surges. Be poised to respond swiftly and seamlessly without compromising the quality of skills your team brings to the table.

Find out more about how well prepared our Job Ready candidates are at ohbajobready.ca!